Au Revoir
by drama-princess
Summary: Their last night together finds Satine and Christian dreading tomorrow. . . and the truth.


Author's Note: None of these characters are mine. The song Save Tonight belongs to Eagle-Eye Cherry. I don't know exactly where this came from, but I like it. . . and I hope you do as well! Please review! All reviews really are the light of my oh-so-dreary life.   
  
  
  
  


  
  
Au Revoir  
  


Christian sat typing, waiting for Satine to come. The day was already beginning to fade outside his window, but he waited. She would come to him. She always came just when he was beginning to feel a touch of worry that she would not. Like a miracle that hovered until just the final moment of despair, she flew in gracefully, unconscious of how close she had come to missing the crucial moment.   
  
The door pushed open, and Satine entered. She wore a rich red and black Chinese gown fastened tightly with a leather belt, and in her hands she held a valise. Her face was serious, but her eyes sparkled.   
  
Hello, Christian. Christian rose and put his arms around her, whispering softly into her ear.   
  
Love you, he said, breathing in her delicate floral scent. Satine smiled at him and traced his jawline, her finger lingering a moment of the dimple on his chin. Her finger then rose to his lips and cheek, where she brushed the back of her hand back to his ear. Their lips met in the first kiss of the evening, soft and sweet.   
  
It wasn't always like this. Sometimes they would run in together, hand in hand and collapse laughing on the bed. Sometimes Christian would read what he had written today or they would talk about the show over dinner. Satie would play the piano upstairs, and the soft, fluting melody would drift down to where they were sitting. Every night, though, was filled with laughter and love as surely as the room was lit by the glowing candlelight.   
  
Satine dropped her valise, tightening her arms around Christian as she did so. Her thick lashes brushed her cheek and the faintest tear appeared in the corner of her eyes. She loved him so much-- loved him with every ounce of her being. All the love she had to give she gave him freely, expecting nothing in return. To spend eternity here, simply loving Christian-- that was her idea of heaven.   
  
They broke apart reluctantly, and Satine bit her lip, her hands going to where leather and metal confined her slender waist.   
  
Help me out of this, please, darling? She sighed as he undid the belt and unlaced the dress. As she lifted her hair out of the way, he slid the dress down off her shoulders. The dark red curls kissed her ivory skin as she dropped her hair.   
  
Satine murmured as she stepped out the dress and stood in her undergarments. Christian automatically turned to give her privacy. He always did that. He had ever since the first night in the elephant. Her lips curved up as she remembered the blush on his face and the awe that had followed it when he turned back around. . . it was charming and quaint, but tonight, Satine pulled him back around before she undressed completely. His face was puzzled and open by her change.  
  
She kissed him lightly and, keeping her eyes focused on his, reached back to undo her corset. The garment released her reluctantly, the whalebone almost creaking as it unfolded. Satine let out her first unrestrained breath and stepped out of the rest of her clothes. Christian's gaze didn't waver from her eyes for a moment until she tossed her final stocking to the side and stood before him. She was simply Satine in that moment and it seemed as if she would stay that way forever. Christian could never quite believe that the transformation back the Sparkling Diamond would ever take place in the morning. It always did, though.  
  
But for now that was irrelevant. She was here and they were together. She slid into her pale pink dressing gown, and his hands trembled a little as he fastened the white sash.   
  
Take your time, love, Satine said, and he heard the sadness in her voice for the first time. Tonight we have all eternity to be together.   
  
Such a poet, he whispered in return, brushing the lovable tendrils of hair away from her face.   
  
I was taught by the best, she said. The haunting tones of her voice threw a note of discord over the whole scene, but Christian ignored it. She was here. Tonight. And that was enough. The glorious reds and golds of sunset had long since darkened, and the sky had only a little light left to illuminate the scene. Satine's look followed his own, and she ran a hand down his arm.   
  
Go on and close the curtains, Christian, she said. All we need is candlelight.   
  
He let the gauzy fabric fall, hiding them from the rest of the world. This was their sanctuary. Their Eden. Satine was lighting the candles like some holy priestess in an ancient ritual. Her face was briefly illuminated by the flame, catching the shadows underneath her eyes and the hollows in her cheek. She moved on quickly until the entire room was lit only by the flickering flames.   
  
Christian took the two crystal goblets and filled them halfway, so that the wine sparkled through the glass like a diamond. She took one and studied it before raising it to her crimson lips.   
  
You and me. . . and a bottle of wine, he said. The words were meant to be light, but the passion that held him coloured his voice. I'll hold you tonight, he whispered.   
  
Satine watched him over the rim of her wine glass as she sipped the liquid, so sweet and dry that it burned a trail down her throat and into the very core of her being. The world's edges softened, like the way watercolours bleed into each other against the canvas. The smooth curve of his throat was revealed as he drank with her, and their fingers touched as they set down the goblets.   
  
We know I'm going away, Satine said abruptly. She had to say those words. She couldn't let them carry on this facade. For that was what it was, regardless of what they had hoped for. He had to admit it to the world as well as to himself before they could go on.   
  
And how I wish it weren't so, Christian said, a trifle bitterly, his eyes begging her to change her mind. Satine pressed her hand down on his and smiled sadly at him.   
  
Take this wine and drink with me, she said, pouring wine into one glass, the alcohol flowing out of the bottle like the holy water from an ethereal stream. Let's delay our misery. They drank from the same cup, their lips brushing the same area of the rim. Satine stood and led him over to the bed, laying his jacket down nearby while they sat down. She kissed his wrist softly, her lips trailing up his arm.   
  
Save tonight, Christian whispered hoarsely, kissing the birthmark on her shoulder. Fight the break of dawn.   
  
Come tomorrow I'll be gone, Satine said, willing the tears not to come. Not now. Now was a time for joy. Not sorrow.   
  
Christian kissed her lips, a kiss that deepened as they came together. The flames were reflected in Christian's eyes, dancing among the sea of blue.   
  
There's a fire, Satine whispered as she pulled his undershirt off and discarded it to the side. And it burns like me for you. She rested her head against his and kissed away the tears that were forming. Tomorrow comes with one desire.   
  
To take you away. Christian was crying openly now, and Satine tried to soothe away the pain with her touch.   
  
It's not easy to say goodbye, Satine said, tears clouding her voice as she spoke. Darling, please don't start to cry. She shook her head helplessly. You know I have to go.   
  
And how I wish it wasn't so. He stopped crying then, and pulled her down with him onto the bed. He was determined to love her for the last time without fear to part them while they were still together. They sang together before their kisses silenced any more words.   
  
_Save tonight  
Fight the break of dawn  
Come tomorrow,  
Tomorrow--  
  
_Their lips met and they kissed. All the heavenly joy seemed to accompany the touches of their lips, and Christian and Satine gently made love together until dawn broke through the veiled curtains. The streams of rosy light was a sign of sorrow for them both, but only Satine was awake to witness it. She sat up and looked sadly down at her love. He was sleeping still, but tears had appeared in his eyes sometime during the night. She pressed two fingers to her lips and onto his. The pain of separation was almost unbearable, but somehow she managed to stand and to pull her robe back on. The dress she had worn had vanished, but Satine wasn't troubled.   
  
Oh, Christian, I love you.   
  
She cast one longing look back at his sleeping form, and then slipped out the door. The curtains fluttered a final time, and the music fell silent, to play no more.   
  
Christian! Christian! Christian blinked his eyes open to see his brother standing over him, already fully dressed.   
  
What is it? he asked quietly, wincing a little at the bright light that streamed into his room. So it was past dawn now and she was gone. Just as promised.   
  
Did you forget you're getting married today? Christian shook his head, bemused. How could anyone forget that?  
  
  
  
Good! I was beginning to worry that you had! Now, you have fifteen minutes to get dressed!   
  
Christian rolled out of bed and stood before the window. One last tear slid down his cheek, and he smiled out at the pastels that coloured the sky. London seemed to have been washed clean of all the industrial grime by last night's rain, and Christian's soul was free from the pain. They had met for one final time last night in his dreams, and then she had left, promising to see him no more until it was his time to join her for all the nights heaven would hold. Christian echoed Satine's earlier movement as he pressed his fingers to his lips and blew the kiss out on the winds.   
  
Au revoir, my love. Until we meet again. _  
  
_


End file.
